Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a barrier metal layer in semiconductor devices are disclosed. A disclosed method for forming a barrier metal layer in a semiconductor device forms an interlayer insulating layer on a front face of a semiconductor substrate having a contact area and patterns the interlayer insulating layer to open the contact area. The disclosed method further places the semiconductor substrate in a chamber, injects reactant gas and precursor into the chamber, transforms the gas into plasma gas and causes the plasma gas to react with the precursor to form a single TiSiN film covering the contact area.

Abstract: A method of stabilizing a poly(paraxylylene) dielectric thin film after forming the dielectric thin film via transport polymerization is disclosed, wherein the method includes annealing the dielectric thin film under at least one of a reductive atmosphere and a vacuum at a temperature above a reversible solid phase transition temperature of the dielectric film to convert the film from a lower temperature phase to a higher temperature phase, and cooling the dielectric thin film at a sufficient rate to a temperature below the solid phase transition temperature of the dielectric thin film to trap substantial portions of the film in the higher temperature phase.